Samsung plots 3G iPhone, iPad bans in the Netherlands

Samsung is seeking a sales ban on all 3G iPhones and some iPads in the Netherlands as the South Korean giant's bitter war with Apple rumbles on.

According to Dutch IT website Webwereld, Samsung will ask for a recall of all 3G iPhones and 3G iPads from Dutch retail stores, including large outlets such as Media Markt. It will also target all Dutch Apple subsidiaries dealing with sales and distribution.

Armed with its 3G patents, Samsung will make its case in a court in the Hague on Monday.

Lee Younghee, head of global marketing for mobile communications at Samsung, told Associated Press that her company will be more aggressive in pursuing legal action against Apple, as the Cupertino iPhone maker has been "free riding" on its patented technologies. It even threatens to start legal action to block sales of the iPhone 5 as soon as it launches, at least in its home country of South Korea.

Until recently, however, it was Apple who succeeded in blocking several tablets and smartphones made by Samsung, by flaunting its rather general technology and design patents. As a result, the South Koreans were even forced to withdraw their newest tablet PC from the IFA electronics fair in Berlin.

Until now Samsung held back largely because Apple is one of its major customers.

Whether Samsung will succeed is unclear. In its case Samsung is often referring to "standards patents", which have already been committed to licensing under FRAND ("fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory") terms. FRAND patents are essential to implementing open standards.

Apple believes Samsung's patent rights were contributed to pools of standards Apple had in fact already licensed. However, this summer Apple agreed to settle a similar patent case with Nokia. ®